The Past Comes to Haunt Us (And Help Us When We Fall)
by Akozu Heiwa
Summary: There was one thing Lance knew: he had to protect Princess Allura. Alfor may have died, but there is still some part of him still around. Shiro isn't the only paladin in an astral realm.


There was one thing Lance knew: he had to protect Princess Allura.

So he wasn't thinking about himself when he pushed her out of the way. He wasn't thinking about anyone or anything besides saving the princess, because above all she was his friend and he cared about her, and if that meant he got hurt instead, so be it.

The beam hit, and the world whited out around him. A second later, he gasped and fell to his knees.

He was no longer in the Red Lion. He was surrounded by stars and space and everything was tinted red. It was beautiful. For a moment, Lance could do nothing but look around in awe. He felt strange. Nothing hurt, but nothing felt exactly right.

"Lance," said a voice from behind him.

Lance spun around. He froze at the sight of the Altean standing before him. He looked familiar. It took Lance a few moments to place him, but when he did it was obvious. It was the same man from all of Coran and Allura's pictures. The same man whose memories had once been preserved in an AI inside the castle. The same man who built Voltron.

"King Alfor," he breathed.

"Please," he said, chuckling. "It is just Alfor."

"Where – where am I?" Lance asked uneasily. "Am I… dead? You're – you're dead. Am I dead?"

Alfor walked forward and spread out his arms. "This is the astral realm. I am afraid I don't know much about how it works. After I died, the Red Lion brought my essence, my very spirit here… perhaps to help guide future paladins, like you and Keith."

Okay, so apparently Lance didn't get to find out if he was dead or not yet.

"You saved my daughter," said Alfor. "Thank you for protecting her when I couldn't."

"Why didn't Red accept Allura as her paladin?" Lance asked. Alfor looked surprised at the question. "If you're here – to guide the Red Paladins – why didn't Allura get to be one?"

"I desperately wished my daughter could pilot the Red Lion," admitted Alfor, "if only so I could guide her once more – to help her and be there for her even in death. However, she was not meant for the Red Lion. I can only hope Blaytz is in Blue's astral realm and is of… some help."

Lance was silent. That made sense, he supposed.

"I am dead, aren't I?" he said.

"It certainly _seems_ that way," said Alfor.

"That's a weird answer," said Lance accusingly.

Alfor laughed. "Many answers in life are."

"Well," said Lance, "I guess they'll have to call Keith back from his super important Blade of Marmora stuff. They'll probably be glad to have him back as the Red Paladin."

Alfor's brow furrowed. He put his hands on Lance's shoulders and met his eyes seriously. "Lance. You mustn't talk like that."

"I'm not going to lie to myself," scoffed Lance. "They don't really need me. Even you probably preferred Keith–"

"Stop," said Alfor sharply. "Lance, you are more than worthy to be the Red Paladin of Voltron. Red would never have chosen you if you weren't. And don't forget – you were Blue's first choice. Out of all five of you, she chose _you_. These Lions are sentient and magnificent creatures, and they are wiser than any of us could ever hope to be. Both of your Lions adore you, Lance. You are needed – more than you even know."

Lance cursed his eyes for watering. He was not going to cry about this.

Ah, what the quiznak. He was dead. Who cared if he cried about this? Instead, he hugged the older Red Paladin and sobbed, and Alfor wrapped his own arms around him comfortingly. It was nice, in a way. It reminded him of his own father, back on Earth. They probably thought he was dead. Except, now, he was dead, and he'd never get to go home to them. He'd never again see the sands of Varadero Beach or taste his mother's wonderful garlic knots or hug his siblings or his niece or nephew or his aunts or uncles or grandparents or parents ever again.

Funny, how the thought he could die never set in until he _did_ die.

"It's going to be alright, child," he murmured.

"I don't want to die," Lance admitted. "I wanted to save her, but I – I don't want to die."

Alfor's arms tightened around him. "I know, child. It's going to be alright."

It took some time for his sobs to subside. Lance didn't know how long. Did time even work the same here? He supposed he'd find out eventually, if he'd be here forever.

"You know," he managed shakily to Alfor, once he'd regained some control of his emotions, "you don't seem like to bad a guy to be stuck with for eternity."

Alfor laughed softly. "I'll take that as a compliment."

They were silent for a few moments.

"So," said Lance. "What do you do for fun around here…?"

Alfor's laugh was much louder this time. "Not much, if I'm honest. I know some two-person word games and such?"

Lance chuckled. "Alright, we can work with that, man. Give it some time, and we'll find a way to bother Keith. That'll be funny. I'm going to haunt him so bad!"

"Hey, now, that's not–" Alfor stopped mid-sentence blinking in surprise. "Huh. You are glowing."

"I'm what!?" Lance yelped, looking at his hands. They were, in fact glowing.

Alfor smiled kind of sadly. "I suppose the word games will have to wait. It is not time for you to join me, Lance. You are needed still."

"But I'm dead," said Lance in bewilderment.

"You were dead," Alfor corrected. "Go, child. Voltron needs you."

The glow grew into a blinding white light, then, suddenly, Lance was back inside his lion. Allura was by his side, eyes wide and relieved as he opened his. When did she get into the Red Lion?

"You saved me," he realised with utmost certainty.

She smiled. "I owed you one."

He wonders if he should tell her about his talk with her father. Something about it seems too personal though. Maybe he would tell her eventually, but for now he would hold the encounter and the last Altean king's words close to his heart.

 **A/N: I had to write this, okay?**

 **After seeing season six and Shiro in the astral realm explaining how he got there (and hearing him say he died hurt me so much) I could only think about the other paladins who had died, and if they might be in the astral realm too. Then, of course, with the scene where Lance nearly or did die, I had the perfect opportunity to explore it.**

 **It's short and a bit Langsty but I hope you enjoyed!**


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